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She had never been a fan of snakes, but didn't hate them either. It was just an odd, uncomfortable thing for the time being, but there was a first for everything. Perhaps she would grow to love it, or on the other hand she would fall off and die. Perhaps neither. Ashura was right, regardless. There was no need to worry. Even if she fell however unlikely that was, the chance of her dying considering the abilities of the duo was slim to none. Rowdy, though? They would have to see about that. How Ashura came to such a conclusion without having summoned the beast before confused Kirino, but she didn't dwell on it for long.

It seemed the boy had some sort of plan, or was going through a process of elimination, which was the closest they would get to a plan. It seemed they were going for Kumogakure for the time being, but Ashura's implication was clear. Naturally, mist would be the place to look. At the same time, as far as Kirino was aware, it could be just the opposite, that in his "home" village he spent the most time covering his tracks. Ashura asked a question that struck Kirino, bolting her eyes up towards those of the boy, then quickly away.

It was a difficult question to answer, and perhaps one she should have answered much earlier. It was unlikely that Kirino would be able to provide him any clues or knowledge, but he should at least know what she did, that was only fair. She almost had to laugh. At this point she had lived through how many Kages? How many years had it been? How many years since the Great War? How many years had it been since Kouketsu's war? Such dark times those were, times that she had buried in the depths of her mind.

"Yes, we did. I didn't participate in much of it, being a genin at the time, but we were all victims, citizens and ninja of all countries. Personally, I only met him once, maybe twice... He never spoke, though. I guess I can't say what happened and what didn't, I just had to clean up after the mess. So many dead, and the war that followed... Fighting the people we were supposed to protect..."

The nightmares she had, the hellish days on end without sleep, the countless wars, it came back to her too quickly. Putting up a front, burying these thoughts, and blissful ignorance only went so far. These were things that could never be forgotten, atrocities burned into one's memory. Only a psychopath could go on unaffected having witnessed such days. Kirino quaked, her body shaking slightly with each breath. She was still weak, the wounds still felt fresh, the words of the fallen echoed.

"Sorry, I'm rambling."

She smiled, exhaling. Writing a memoir could wait. Her burdens had been buried so long, a few more days, weeks, months, they couldn't hurt. The last thing Ashura needed was something else to worry about. She was the adult here, right?!

"But yes, it's all true, as far as I'm aware. Even then I wasn't quite sure why we did what we did, I just followed, without questioning. That's what I was taught to do. Wish I could tell you more."

It was another dead end, an absolute and complete one at that. Usually they were able to find some sort of lead, but at this point it was a guessing game, and at best they were going to pick up tidbits of information that could be used to form some sort of conclusion. This couldn't be blamed on the Tsuchikage. She was being more than kind by simply speaking to them, not much more could be asked of her than what was provided. Her choice to conceal the truth was something Kirino did personally object to, but it was ultimately not her choice, not her people, and not place to speak. All that could be done was to hope it was the right decision.

Kirino rose, and bowed just as Ashura did, allowing him to speak on her behalf in expressing thanks, then proceeding out of the building.

The whole experience was a bit depressing. Their hopes in finding some truth in this village had been crushed, though in a polite way, one could argue (particularly considering the circumstances). Yet, when looking to Ashura, he seemed content, likely having entered this village, or having began this journey, knowing that is was possible nothing could come of it. Still, Kirino could help but wonder if he was harboring any sort of depression, a lack of hope, or something similar. He was only human at his core, despite the display he had put on earlier. This joy she saw could very will be similar. It was concerning. However, this was not the time for such thoughts. The journey was far from over, particularly if the past few moments had been any indication. She smiled.

"Alright! Let's see it!"

[exit]

It seemed Ashura's verbal assault had worked, and the woman scurried. How cute! Kirino was already connecting with the Tsuchikage over her choice in employees and decor. Expectations were high. It only took another minute or so before the Kage in question made her appearance, in full dress at that. Kirino supposed this would be the case, considering the fact the two were from different villages, "dignitaries" perhaps. As soon as Kirino was actually graced by her presence, it was a bit overwhelming.

The woman spoke so directly, with such strength and resolve through a casual greeting. Her name was as long as her figure, and equally elegant. Kirino hoped the Kage would be okay with being addressed by "Coco" or something similar, as there wasn't a chance she would remember the whole thing. Well anyway-

Before she had the chance to speak, Ashura began once again, this time with a different tone entirely. A glass appeared in front of Kirino at this moment, as if to say, "here's something to do while the two "adults" in the room talk." She didn't mind. Her motivations were nothing compared to those of her companion. He had gotten them here, it was only fair that he speak. So with that, Kirino drank without hesitation, and a substantial amount at that. It wasn't a big deal, she could hold her liquor, or so she told herself. Time would be the judge of that.

Kirino's legs came together, hands resting together on her lap after setting down the glass. The boy went on for a good while, clearly presenting the current situation they were in, and his own understanding of it. His formality and demeanor were a bit surprising for Kirino, having never quite seen this side of him, but it seemed Ashura was a boy full of surprises. Trying to predict his actions was a fruitless task. Well aware of this, Kirino just watched the two, silent, doing her best to at least appear formal with firm posture, despite her attire.

It had been a long time since she had ever seen the place, and she had never been inside before, but it was clear that they had done things with the place. Kirino's eyes turned upwards as they passed through the door, observing the intricate designs that decorated the ceiling. With her head cocked back, she nearly ran into a great deal of valuables, but managed to miss them with nothing but sheer, dumb luck. Eventually, she focused ahead, stopping just before knocking over Ashura.

"Taste?"

She looked around for whatever food item it was that the boy was referencing, unable to find anything. Oh, right, decor, not food. Bold reds and thick golds easily derailed any train of thought she managed to board, her head rotating about. It seemed as if she was trying to take it in all at once, so that when they actually met the kage she could remain composed. It was a noble strategy, but in the moment she just looked completely clueless.

"Oh, yes, it's very nice!"

Ashura began asking for some sort of service, while Kirino took a seat on a nearby couch. As she hit the fabric, her mouth became agape in a yawn. Too comfortable. Resisting wasn't worth the effort, she was done for. Thoughts such as "you need to save your energy for when you meet the kage," allowed her to justify these actions. Now to avoid falling asleep completely, that was the tricky part. She finished her yawn, then spoke.

"Maybe we're just supposed to wait."